The offices of Christ

The Offices of Christ: Prophet, Priest, and King

The church has long understood who Jesus is through his threefold office: he is our Prophet, who reveals God to us; our Priest, who reconciles us to God; and our King, who reigns over all and keeps us for God. The title Christ means the Anointed One, and in the Old Testament prophets, priests, and kings were anointed and set apart for God. All three offices, and the great titles that unfold from them, meet and are fulfilled in Jesus.

This is a historic, non-denominational way of reading the Scriptures, shared across the Christian traditions. It answers the three deepest human needs: we are ignorant of God and need to be taught, we are guilty before God and need to be reconciled, and we are weak and wandering and need to be ruled and kept. In Jesus, one person holds all three offices, so that everything we need is found in him alone. The pages below take up each office and title in turn, each built on the words of Scripture.

The threefold office

Titles that unfold from the office